Lockdown's SecureWalls Panels: Gun Storage System

My wife and I had a house built a few years ago, and our contractor suggested we add extra space to the garage and outbuilding. He said it’s easy to run out of space, but since I was frightfully close to running out of money I chose not to take his advice. Of course, he was right, and I’ve run out of space, especially in my gun room.

Lockdown’s SecureWalls have helped cope with that. The panels themselves are the heart of the system. They come in two varieties—standard and heavy duty—and multiple sizes.

Standard panels are made from 16-gauge steel and will support up to 100 pounds each while the 14-gauge heavy-duty panels can hold up to 200 pounds each. Standard panels are available in 32x24-, 16x24- and 4x24-inch sizes while the heavy-duty panels are available in 32x24- and 16x24-inch sizes. This allows you to mix and match panel sizes based on available space. Every SecureWall panel comes with a silver powder-coated exterior finish for added durability.

With multiple openings for installing screws, the SecureWall panels make it simple to attach the panel to your wall. There’s no track system needed, and because there are multiple points at which you can insert the screws you can install these panels almost anywhere you’d like.

Seamless Junction

The bottom of each panel comes with a “tang” that overlaps with the panel below. In that way, each screw anchors both the top and bottom panels, offering a relatively seamless junction. Installation is simple and straightforward and doesn’t take a great deal of time or specialized tools. A level, drill and screws are the primary tools required.

Attachment points extend all the way to the edge of each panel, and this allows for more efficient use of space. The cutouts in each panel accept not only Lockdown accessories but also any standard pegboard accessory, and that adds a great deal of versatility.

Lockdown offers both straight and angled barrel pegs, which are powder and vinyl coated to reduce the risk of damage to the interior of the bore. The angled pegs do a better job displaying your handguns, but I find the straight pegs make it simpler to remove and replace pistols.

Pegs are four inches in length so most compact and subcompact guns fit securely. With five-inch guns and longer, you may want to switch to Lockdown’s new pistol hanger bracket. It comes with two side by side V-shape hangers. For really large handguns you can use either a handgun hanger or two of Lockdown’s long gun hangers positioned close together.

Compatibility

The website indicates the barrel pegs will accommodate barrels from .38 to .50, and I had no issues installing 9mms. Your .22s will not fit, though, and will require handgun hangers.

One of the newest accessories from Lockdown is the Pistol Mag Rack, which is a beneficial addition. I don’t know how many pistol magazines I have tucked away in drawers and range bags, but the Pistol Mag Rack makes it simple to store these items where they can easily be located and accessed.

These racks snap into position on the SecureWall panels and hold up to five single-stack magazines, but there are metal dividers that can be arranged to accommodate wider mags. By spacing the dividers, the rack holds three double-stack magazines.

The first criticism levied against wall panels is that they don’t offer security unless installed in a secure room. Lockdown recently added an optional accessory to address this: the Gun Lock.

Security

Gun Locks include a peg that secures in place on the wall panel. Channels drilled through the peg allow owners to thread a cable gun lock through the peg and the open action of their firearm. Lockdown provides a keyed gun lock with each peg, but you can certainly use the gun lock that is provided with new firearms.

The gun cannot be removed without the key, and since the cable prevents the action from operating when the lock is properly positioned the firearm cannot be fired until the lock is removed.

Lockdown offers a variety of storage accessories, too—most recently adding plastic bins with label brackets. These bins are handy for storing interchangeable backstraps, cover plates, wrenches and other small parts that are easy to lose, as well as spare optics batteries.

Lockdown SecureWalls also accept standard pegboard pegs. This means there are hundreds of accessories available at most hardware stores that will work with your SecurePanels.

Accessories

Generally speaking, it’s easy to swap accessories in or out of your panels as needed, but sometimes accessories do not fit perfectly. During testing, a few items installed on the panels were so firmly locked in place they were difficult to remove. My advice is not to exert excessive force with sticky accessories.

Put another way, getting angry because an accessory doesn’t fit correctly or won’t pull free and wrenching the piece in or out of place only damages either the panel or the accessory you’re adding or removing.

I learned the hard way that it’s better to determine what is binding and preventing installation or removal and addressing the issue. The panels are sturdy—especially the 14-gauge heavy-duty panel—and will generally survive rough handling. Jamming an accessory into position, however, could break it.

Overall, though, these panels are a well thought-out and worthwhile addition to any gun room. They’re also relatively affordable. Standard SecureWall Panels range from $25 to $56 depending upon size, and heavy-duty panels cost from $50 to $70.

Coverage and Cost

You can install four heavy-duty SecureWall panels covering 24 square feet of wall space for under $300. Covering the same space with standard panels costs less than $225.

Barrel pegs, either angled or straight style, and handgun hangers cost $6, and the new magazine rack is $13. Both the Gun Lock and Bin Hangers two-packs cost $15. So for less than $400 you can install multiple panels and add all the accessories you need to secure dozens of handguns as well as storage space for belts, holsters, weapon lights, manuals and more.

SecureWall panels are easy to install, and I like that. Just be sure to take the time to make certain that you level them so they fit properly. Installation took me less than an hour, and I’m certainly not a carpenter.

If space is limited and you’re looking for a new way to store your handguns the Lockdown SecureWall panel system is a sound and reasonably small investment. It’s given me more space for guns and gear, which means I have good reason to do some shopping at the local gun store.

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